Vanessa, who has two children Lily, 14, and Jack, 10, with Johnny, is now dating French pop star Benjamin Biolay.

The French actress announced her shock split from Johnny in June 2012, but it was a year before the 50-year-old actorbroke his silence on the break-up.

Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine, Johnny said “the last couple of years have been a bit bumpy”.

“At time, certainly unpleasant, but that’s the nature of break-ups,” he admitted. “I guess especially when there are kiddies involved.

Johnny and Amber

News of Johnny and Amber’s engagement came as surprise to some as they had only been together for less than two years, while the Pirates of the Caribbean star didn’t get engaged to Vanessa in their 14-year relationship.

“I never found myself needing that piece of paper,” said Johnny in an interview with Extra in 2010. “Marriage is really from soul to soul, heart to heart. You don’t need somebody to say, okay you’re married.”

“If Vanessa wanted to get hitched, why not,” he added. “But the thing is, I’d be so scared of ruining her last name! She’s got such a good last name.”